What is Centaurus A?

Giant galaxy sliced by a dark dust lane, evidence of swallowing a smaller spiral galaxy.

Worth knowing about Centaurus A

You see Centaurus A as it was about 12 million years ago.

Why it stands out: A supermassive central black hole fires radio jets that feed lobes spreading more than 1.6 million light-years, making it one of the brightest radio sources in the sky; a popular target for amateur radio astronomy with software-defined radio (SDR).
What it is: A lenticular or a giant elliptical galaxy: astronomers class it both ways. The dark lane across its middle is the gas and dust of the spiral it swallowed, and new stars are still forming in it.
Its name and its story: Named for the constellation Centaurus, representing the wise centaur Chiron from Greek myth.